Part Two - The Sky The dynamics of a group make for interesting study. In the beginning, the bond is tight. Accomplishments are theirs. Individuality may be seen as detrimental to the group. But, there comes a point in each artist's evolution when he needs the space to grow. Goals change. Bonds break. Depending on the artist, this transition can be seamless or savage. Gerald's was simple. He recorded his solo debut Private Line when he was still with LeVert. The other members even contributed to the project. The result was a soul-drenched exploration of Gerald's personal musical agenda that still retained some of the familiar LeVert flavor. The spotlight illuminated Gerald's flair for chopping up the nuances of love and offering his conclusions on an emotional platter. His particular mix of old school feeling and new school form was most personified on "Baby Hold on to Me", an electric duet with his father. The old way of flat-footed saanging brought by the senior Levert blends with the stirring sensitivity of his son to create an urgent appeal. On "School Me", Gerald explores the well-traveled sexual sphere, but hits upon virgin territory. He shows a keen understanding of what all women know: there's nothing sexier than a man who can take direction. Gerald shows no traces of insecurity as he begs his woman to teach him how to satisfy her. His decidedly un-macho take on male/female relations is refreshing. This, along with a compelling emotional honesty, is what motivated many female fans to choose Gerald as their musical partner for life. It could have been said that once these fans had experienced 100% of Gerald, there'd be no turning back. It could also have been said that once Gerald experienced total artistic freedom, there'd be no returning to the compromise that a group situation demands. But, once again, Gerald's case was singular. He continued recording with the group, while pursuing his solo career. Judging from the music, one can assume that Gerald focused most of his attention on his solo projects. The material was more concentrated, more representative of the artist he was becoming. Without the limitations of a cooperative situation, he could be free as a bird to explore whom that artist really was.